[MarieG]

Hi all,

Just a very quick question- I have sent my visa application for my PhD off yesterday...I have received a scholarship from the Uni of Melbourne and based on the type of course and my country of origin I am classed as risk level 1. I have included my long-term boyfriend (also from a risk level 1 country) in this application. We are not married, but have been living together for the last 6-7 years....hence I entered 'de facto' as my relationship status...

I now got an email asking me to provide a certified marriage certificate. I don't really understand why as I thought 'de facto' by definition doesn't mean married by law but rather 'partner only'..I'm confused- did I understand something wrong or did they make a mistake? Any help will be much appreciated..

[Bermudashorts]

So if you are not married you can't provide a marriage certificate. It isn't a trick, either you filled in the form incorrectly or they read your details incorrectly. Just tell them you are not married so don't have one.

[MarieG]

Thank you- I checked my records and I didn't provide the wrong details. I was only worried that I miss-understood anything such as that my partner can't come with me unless we are married. I have checked the definitions but it's also easy to confuse things sometimes- I have told them that we are not married etc...hopefully they just made a mistake and it's not me who got things wrong by including my partner in the first place